Copying device



(No Model.)

J. O. INGRAM. COPYING DEVICE.

No. 479,280. Patented July 19, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH C. INGRAM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COPYING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 479,280, dated July 19, 1892.

Application filed September 26, 1891. fierial No. 406,927. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH O. INGRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing in the citv and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Copying Devices; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved device for copying letters and either Written or printed matter.

It consists of a roller adapted to receive the impression from the written sheet and transfer it to the copying-sheet, a box with slotted sides, within which said roller is contained, a cleansing device situated in the bottom of the box, a means for rotating the roller in contact therewith, and in certain details of construction,which will be more fully expla ned by reference to the accompanylng drawings, in which I Figure l is a View of the roller. Fig. 2 showsthe containing-base with the side broken away to expose the interior.

A is a roller, which is made of any suitable composition which will readily take up the inscribed characters from the paper upon which they have been originallywritten or placed by simply rotating the roller in contact with the written surface. This roller is made of a length equal to the width of the page or sheet which is to be copied and its diameter 1s such that its circumference Will be equal to the length of the sheet to be copied. This roller is cast or formed of suitable soft composition between the end plates or disks B, which are secured upon the shaft C, and which d sks hold the composition in its proper cylindrical shape upon the shaft. This shaft is ournaled in a frame or yoke D,having a handle E, by which it is conveniently operated.

When a page has been prepared for copying, it is only necessary to place the roller in contact with one end of the sheet and rotate it over the page, when the characters 1nscribed thereon will be transferred to the surface of the roller. From this roller the characters are readily transferred to any desired number of sheets where the characters are to be reproduced.

N is a box having a width sllghtly greater than the length of the roller, and it has slots F and G made in the sides. When the roller is not in use, its shaft slips into the slots F upon each side of the box, so that the roller is suspended within the box out of contact with the bottom, the handle resting upon a transverse partition H.

In the opposite end of the box is fitted a device for cleansing the roller after its work is done. This consists of fine sponge or other suitable absorbent material, which is secured between the clamping-bars J, these bars being drawn together to compress the sponge by means of screws K at each end or in any other suitable manner, thus leavingthe sponge projecting from one edge of the clamp to as great an extent as may be desired.

Upon each side of the box are guides L, into which the ends of the clamping-bars may be slipped, passing down the inclined slots in the guides, as shown. Then the clamps are in their place, the sponge will project upward, so that when the shaft of the roller is placed in the slots G the roller will rest upon the surface of the sponge.

M is a crank fixed to one end of the rollershaft so as to project exterior to the box, and by means of this crank the roller is turned while in contact with the sponge, thus Washing off the surface and preparing it for future use without contact with the fingers or other disagreeable cleansing operations. After being cleansed the roller maybe returned to the other compartment, with the shaft resting in the slots F.

The box is provided with a suitable cover, which closes over it, so that the whole is pro tected from dust or injury.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. A copying device consisting of a roller mounted upon a shaft and journaled in a frame, a box having vertical slots made in its sides, into which the projecting ends of the roller-shaft lie, a cleansing-sponge fixed in the bottom of the box, and a crank fixed to the roller-shaft, whereby it may be rotated in contact with the sponge, substantially as herein described.

2. A copying device consisting of a roller having its shaft journaled in a frame and a crank upon the outer end of the shaft, a box having vertical slots formed in its sides to re- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my ceive the roller-shaft with the crank exterior hand. to the sides of the box, a cleansing-sponge,

clamps between which said sponge is secured, JOSEPH INGRAM and inclined slotted guides in the bottom of \Vitnesses:

the box, into which said clamps are fitted,snb- S. H. NOURSE,

stantially as herein described. J. A. BAYLESS. 

